What is medical tourism?
Medical tourism involves traveling to receive medical services that may be unavailable, expensive, or difficult to arrange in the patient’s country of origin. It can include both simple procedures and complex medical procedures, such as surgeries, dental treatment, or aesthetic medicine. Poland, thanks to its competitive prices and high quality of services, is becoming an attractive destination for patients from other countries.
The scale of medical tourism in Poland As noted by Professor Piotr Skarżyński, medical tourism in Poland is growing, attracting around 320,000 patients from abroad each year. Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have had an impact on this market, Poland is still a popular destination for medical tourists, especially from Eastern European countries. Patients come to Poland not only because of the attractive prices, but also because of the quality of services, which is on par with Western standards.
Most frequently searched medical services
Poland attracts patients mainly because of its wide range of medical services, which include dentistry, gynecology, orthopedics, aesthetic medicine and advanced surgical procedures. Professor P.
Skarżyński emphasizes that Poland is particularly valued for specialized surgeries, such as cochlear implants that improve hearing. Patients from countries such as Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan often choose Poland because of limited access to advanced medical technologies in their countries.
Challenges and prospects for the development of medical tourism in Poland Although Poland has the potential to become a leader in medical tourism, there are some challenges that need to be overcome. Professor Piotr Skarżyński points out the need for better cooperation between the state administration and the medical sector, especially in the area of visa facilitation for patients from non-European countries. Poland should also intensify its activities promoting its medical services abroad, especially in countries with high market potential, such as African and Asian countries.
The role of the state and the medical industry
For the further development of medical tourism in Poland, support from the state is crucial, which should focus on visa facilitation, promotion of services and development of international cooperation.
The medical industry should also actively participate in building a positive image of Poland as a country offering high-quality medical services. Combining administrative activities with the activity of doctors and medical facilities can contribute to increasing the number of foreign patients and strengthening Poland’s position on the medical tourism market.
Medical tourism in Poland has great potential to become an important sector of the economy. Thanks to high-quality services, competitive prices and a growing number of patients from abroad, Poland can become one of the leaders in this industry. However, this requires coordinated actions at the state level and further development of medical infrastructure. With the right support and promotion, Poland can become one of the most important medical tourism destinations in Europe.
